Lots of work, very little pay - Associate Panera Bread Employee Review

2.0
Feb 6, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

65% discount Paid vacation after 1 year Associates can be fun to work and hang out with Tolerable for a temporary (6 months-1 year) job with no skills required Paid training

Cons

Can be very stressful Compensation is very poor, considering everything you have to put up with Difficult customers Physically demanding May be forced to work 8 hours or more on your feet with no break Managers have unreasonable expectations of what you can achieve in a given amount of time Managers are constantly looking for ways to cut corners and save money Little or no pay raise Dead end job, unless you want to get involved in the politics of management Managers often pick favorites who can get away with anything, while others are written up for little mistakes Some managers are awarded bonuses based on profit, so they try to make the most sales with the least amount of people, forcing everyone to work twice as hard (without a raise) while the manager reaps the rewards. Managers think they are too good to help with certain things Short notice of mandatory evening weekend meetings Lazy managers who constantly pawn their work off onto low-wage associates

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
May 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Free food, just getting free food

Cons

Actually your discount to free food hits your p&l

3.0
Apr 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

GM at this location is very on top of things, because it's the busiest Panera in Queens. Consistent hours. Shifts go by very quickly, especially in the morning.

Cons

Location is extremely busy so it gets very stressful, especially in the morning when someone is out / there is no second cashier scheduled so the single cashier in the morning has to clean the coffee counter, refill coffees, make drinks, stick bagels in the oven & serve those bagels, check and bag up RPU/delivery orders, get bakery items for barista screen, and ring up customers. It can get really intense when many people come in, which is most of the time. You will be running back and forth like crazy. Customers can be impatient, rude, demeaning, and nasty when the line gets too long. Not recommended for people who are sensitive, with high anxiety. As for Panera the company, this chain keeps making bizarre and difficult changes to the menu, all of which make employees' lives harder and harder. With every change comes strange, dismaying, and borderline impossible expectations for frontline staff that cascade down through management who cannot do much to alter the hard policies. You can tell the company is struggling greatly to keep itself relevant with the younger crowd (a solid 80% of customers are old people). The CEO and everyone making company decisions at Panera is extremely out-of-touch. EXTREMELY. With every nonsensical menu & operations adjustment, you can tell these people haven't actually worked at a food service job in like 40 years.

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